Morgan v. Federal Express Corp.

114 F. Supp. 3d 434, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 89928, 2015 WL 4187673
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Texas
DecidedJuly 10, 2015
DocketNo. Civ. A. H-13-2464
StatusPublished
Cited by65 cases

This text of 114 F. Supp. 3d 434 (Morgan v. Federal Express Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Morgan v. Federal Express Corp., 114 F. Supp. 3d 434, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 89928, 2015 WL 4187673 (S.D. Tex. 2015).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

MELINDA HARMON, District Judge.

Pending before the Court in the above referenced cause, seeking compensatory and punitive damages for a racially discriminatory termination of employment in violation of 42 U.S.C. § Í981, are Defendant Federal Express Corporation’s (“FedEx’s”) motion for summary judgment (instrument #22) and Plaintiff Roddie Morgan’s (“Morgan’s”) opposed motion for leave to file a -late response to FedEx’s motion for summary judgment (# 28).

After a careful review of the record and the applicable law, for the reasons indicated below the Court finds Morgan’s motion for leave to file a response should be denied and FedEx’s motion for summary judgment should be granted.

Morgan’s Opposed Motion for Leave to File Late Response (# 29)

A. Standard of Review

Morgan originally filed this action pro se but recently obtained counsel. Pro se plaintiffs are held to a less stringent pleading standard than documents drafted by attorneys and are entitled to a liberal construction, allowing all reasonable inferences that can be drawn from their pleadings. Haines v. Kemer, 404 U.S. 519, 521, 92 S.Ct. 594, 30 L.Ed.2d 652 (1972). Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97, 106, 97 S.Ct. 285, 50 L.Ed.2d 251 (1976). Nevertheless, they must “still comply with the rules of civil procedure and make arguments capable -of withstanding summary judgment.” Ogbodiegtm v. Wackenhut [437]*437Corr. Corp., 202 F.3d 265, 1999 WL 1131884, at *2 (5th Cir. Nov. 10, 1999); Yazdchi v. Am. Honda Fin. Corp., 217 Fed.Appx. 299, 304 (5th Cir.2007) (“The right of. self-repr'esentation does not exempt a party, from compliance with the relevant rules of procedural and substantive law.”), citing Hulsey v. Texas, 929 F.2d 168, 171 (5th Cir.1991). Pro se litigants have a duty to prosecute their claims with due diligence, as do all other litigants, and must comply with all deadlines set by the court. Lowman v. Whitaker, 2012 WL 3779159, at *3 (WD.La. Aug. 31, 2012) (“Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Local Rules are sufficient to advise pro se litigants of their burden in timely opposing a summary judgment motion.”-).

It is well established in the Fifth Circuit that “[a] federal court may not grant a ‘default’ summary judgment where no response has been filed.” Bradley v. Chewon U.S.A., Inc., No. Civ.A. 204CV092J, 2004 WL 2847463, *1 (N.D.Tex. Dec. 10, 2004), citing Eversley v. MBank of Dallas, 843 F.2d 172, 174 (5th Cir.1988); Hibernia Nat. Bank v. Administracion Cent. Sociedad Anonima, 776 F.2d 1277, 1279 (5th Cir.1985). Nevertheless, if no response to the motion for summary judgment has been filed, the court may find as undisputed the statement of facts in the motion for summary judgment. Id. at *1 and n. 2, citing id.; see also Thompson v. Eason, 258 F.Supp.2d 508, 515 (N.D.Tex.2003) (where no opposition is filed, the nonmovant’s unsworn pleadings are not competent summary judgment evidence and movant’s evidence may be accepted as undisputed). See also UNUM Life Ins. Co. of America v. Long, 227 F.Supp.2d 609 (N.D.Tex.2002) (“Although the com*t may not enter a ‘default’ summary judgment, it may accept evidence submitted by [movant] as undisputed.”); Bookman v. Shubzda, 945 F.Supp. 999, 1002 (N.D.Tex.1996) (“A summary judgment nonmovant who does not respond to the motion is relegated to [his] unsworn pleadings, which do not constitute summary judgment evidence.”). The court has no' obligation to “sift through the record in search óf' evidence” to support the non-movant’s opposition to the motion for summary'judgment. Forsyth b. Barr, 19 F.3d 1527, 1533 (5th Cir.1994).

In the context of a summary judgment, a pro se plaintiffs failure to file a timely response, by itself, -alone will not support a default judgment; the movant must still show there is no genuine issue of material fact and that it is- entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law. Hetzel v. Bethlehem Steel Corp., 50 F.3d 360, 362 n. 3 (5th Cir.1995). If the moving party fails to meet its initial burden, the court must deny the motion for summary judgment even if there is no response. Baton Rouge Oil & Chem. Workers Union v. ExxonMobil Carp., 289 F.3d 373, 375 (5th Cir.2002). Rule 56(c) “mandates the entry of' summary judgment, after adequate time for discovery and upon motion, against a party who fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial.” Celotex, 477 U.S. at 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548.

B. Motion for Leave to File Untimely Response

This suit was filed on August 22, 2013 by Morgan proceeding pro se. Although at the initial scheduling conference on March 5, 2014, United .States Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy urged Morgan to retain counsel by March 31, 2014 and provided him with a list of potential attorneys, Morgan failed to do so. Meanwhile, the case proceeded, with discovery closing on October 28, 2014. Morgan did not take any depositions or serve any written discovery requests. FedEx deposed Morgan [438]*438on May 8, 2014. During the deposition Morgan admitted that an attorney had been assisting him with this suit. Ex., A, p.. 1 (stating that attorney Alan .Quiles drafted his complaint and went over it with him and was continuing to assist him). FedEx claims that certain pleadings filed by Morgan along with his discovery responses reflect that they were ghost-written by an attorney. # 1 (Complaint), 6 (Amended Complaint), and 7 (Response to FedEx’s motion to dismiss, which FedEx subsequently withdrew). FedEx filed its motion for summary judgment on December 1; 2014. Morgan’s response was due no later than December 22, 2014, but he did not file one nor request an extension of time to do ,so before the deadline.

' On January 19, 2015 FedEx filed a supplemental brief in support of its motion for summary judgment, arguing that a pro se party has an obligation to, file a response, that Morgan’s failure to do so should be taken as a representation of no opposition under Local Rule 7.4, and that no leniency should be granted to him since he was being aided by an undisclosed attorney. See Kersh v. Derozier, 851 F.2d 1509, 1512 (5th Cir.1988) (the right of self-representation does not exempt a party from compliance with relevant rules of procedural and substantive law); Garcia v. Jenkins/Babb, LLP, 2012 WL 3846539, at *1 (N.D.Tex. Sept. 5, 2012) (“Courts have considered the propriety of attorneys not of record drafting pleadings to be filed by ostensibly pro se litigants, and have raised concerns, including wrongly giving a lenient reading to ostensibly pro se pleadings actually drafted by attorneys.”), citing Duran v. Carris, 238 F.3d 1268, 1271-73 (10th Cir.2001), Wesley v. Don Stein Buick, Inc., 987 F.Supp. 884 (D.Kan.1997),

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114 F. Supp. 3d 434, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 89928, 2015 WL 4187673, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/morgan-v-federal-express-corp-txsd-2015.